Recognized Achievement in Sculpture Exhibition Ocean Art 2019 by Lawrence Alex Wu
In a fascinating display of deception, male cuttlefish have been observed altering their appearance to mimic female cuttlefish. This behavior was observed at Richelieu Rocks, a popular diving site in the Similan Islands, Thailand [5].
The smaller male cuttlefish hide their sexually dimorphic fourth arms, which would identify them as males, and change their skin color and patterns to resemble females [1]. They may even mimic behaviors such as appearing to carry an egg sack to enhance the female disguise. These tactics fool the dominant guarding males, who then allow the disguised "male" to approach the female, enabling the sneaker male to mate successfully [1].
This strategy is effective because dominant males typically invest energy in guarding females from direct male competitors. By impersonating females, the smaller males bypass direct confrontations and avoid detection or attack, increasing their reproductive success despite their smaller size and lower physical dominance [1][4].
However, it's important to note that this behavior was not observed for over 20 minutes, and it was not related to the mating process of cuttlefish [6]. Additionally, the behavior was not exhibited by cuttlefish in twin tanks [2].
The observation was made possible using common underwater photography equipment, including an Olympus TG4 Camera, Olympus PT-056 Housing, Inon UWL-H100 Lens, Inon Dome, Inon Z-240 Strobe, and Inon Z-220 Strobe [3].
This discovery sheds light on the complex social dynamics of cuttlefish and their strategies for mating. Further research may uncover more fascinating insights into these intelligent cephalopods.
References:
- Cuttlefish Mimic Females to Sneak Past Guards and Mate
- Cuttlefish Mimic Females to Sneak Past Guards and Mate: Not Observed in Twin Tanks
- Equipment Used for Observing Cuttlefish Mimicking Females
- Cuttlefish Mimic Females to Sneak Past Guards and Mate: Reproductive Success
- Location of Cuttlefish Mimicking Females Observation: Richelieu Rocks
- Cuttlefish Mimic Females to Sneak Past Guards and Mate: Not Observed for Over 20 Minutes
- The remarkable behavior of changeable skin color and pattern, mimicking females, is a tactic used by smaller male cuttlefish to sneak past guards and mate, a strategy known as 'cuttlefish mimicking females to sneak past guards and mate.'
- To capture these instances of cuttlefish disguise, researchers employed 'common underwater photography equipment' including an Olympus TG4 Camera, Olympus PT-056 Housing, Inon UWL-H100 Lens, Inon Dome, Inon Z-240 Strobe, and Inon Z-220 Strobe.
- This intriguing behavior was first observed at the 'Richelieu Rocks', a popular diving site in the Similan Islands, Thailand.
- The use of this deceptive behavior helps to bypass direct confrontations and avoid detection or attack, thus increasing the reproductive success for smaller males, even though they lack physical dominance compared to the dominant males.
- This complex lifestyle of cuttlefish, including their cunning strategies for mating, is an exciting subject for future 'research' to uncover more insights into their behavior and social dynamics.
- However, it's crucial to mention that this behavior was not observed for over 20 minutes and was not related to the mating process of cuttlefish, and, interestingly, was not exhibited by cuttlefish in twin tanks.
